Month: August 2010

Peepli Live theme should’ve been NREGA, not farmer suicide: Advani

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New Delhi, August 30: Aamir Khan once drew the BJP’s ire for his support to the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and his criticism of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. But it seems that both the BJP and the Bollywood actor has now decided to move on.

While Khan arranged for a special screening of Peepli Live for NDA MPs last week, top leader L K Advani — who watched the movie — on Sunday praised Khan’s home production for its “realistic depiction of village life”.

Advani, however, felt the filmmakers should have chosen a subject other than farmers’ suicide.

Job quota for backward Muslims in Bengal by September-end

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West Bengal, August 30: Nearly 1.4 crore backward Muslims in West Bengal would be issued OBC certificates under a reservation policy for poor people of the community after the state Cabinet approves the decision on September 22. This will be in keeping with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s promise in February this year that the step will be taken before year-end.

Pranab defends Mamata on her position on Azad”s killing

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Kolkata August 30: Defending Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said he found “nothing wrong” in the key UPA ally”s statement that the killing of top Maoist leader Azad was not correct. Mukherjee, a senior Congress leader, also said there was no reason to suspect that the Railway Minister”s party had links with the Maoists if she thought that the Naxal problem can be negotiated through dialogue and invites them for “I don”t think so.

Gujarat will give a befitting reply to Cong: Modi

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Ahmedabad, August 30: Chief Minister Narendra Modi told the Congress to stop leadership through statements but enter competition in a democratic way because “your jails are not going to ensure any political rejuvenation for you”. He alleged that of late the Congress had now opened a shop called CBI where money was being extorted from the people.

New sting video shows Pak cricketers meeting Majeed

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London, August 30: More video footage which could implicate two new players of the Pakistan cricket team in allegations of corruption was released by British tabloid ”News of the World” tonight. The video shows arrested bookie Mazhar Majeed taking cash from the undercover reporter of the tabloid and putting it in a jacket.

Majeed is seen telling the undercover reporter that he needs to pay 10,000 pounds in advance before Pakistani players could be introduced to him. The reporter then gives Majeed 10,000 pounds and the two drive to a hotel where the Pakistani team is dining.

Andhra DGP refuses to comment on Gujarat IPS officer’s remarks

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Hyderabad, August 30: Director General of Police R R Girish Kumar today refused to comment on the claims of IPS officer Geetha Johri that Kalimuddin, who, she says, invited fake encounter victim Sohrabuddin Sheikh to Hyderabad in 2005, was an informer of the state police and the CBI.

“How can I comment on her statement. How can I deny or contradict or support. I don’t know what information she has. She never shared it with us. So it’s not proper on my part to comment on her statement,” the top cop told reporters here.

Big B files complaint against abusive blogger

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New Delhi, August 29: Amitabh Bachchan says an unknown person has been sending derogatory and abusive material on his blog and mobile phone. After enduring it for months, he has filed a police complaint.

“There is a serious effort by a member that writes and comments on this blog to use language and expression that is abusive, filthy and utterly disgusting,” Big B wrote on his bigb.bigadda.com.

Man injured in accidental firing at bar in Noida

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Noida, August 29: One person was injured in an accidental firing at a bar here tonight, police said.

The incident took place at Vinni Bar in Noida Sector-18 when a pistol from a man’s pocket fell down and the trigger got pulled while he was passing by a table, they said.

The bullet hit a person who was having dinner there. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, police said, adding that search is on to nab the owner of the pistol who fled after the incident.

–Agencies

Salman Khan grants fan’s ‘lifelong’ wish to touch him

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New Delhi, August 29: He is Bollywood’s ultimate heartthrob and reports of a break-up with actress Katrina Kaif have only added to Salman Khan’s appeal. The actor who was in town to promote his film ‘Dabangg’ was approached by a female fan to grant her the “lifelong wish” to touch him just once.

The 44-year-old actor caused a traffic jam in Connaught Place when he made an appearance at a theatre to promote his upcoming film accompanied by co-star Sonakshi Sinha and producer and brother Arbaaz Khan.

Lalit Modi’s disciplinary hearings next month

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New Delhi, August 29: The Indian cricket board’s disciplinary committee looking into the suspension of Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi Sunday fixed two sets of dates for the hearings in September.

In a statement, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said the dates for recording of evidence and cross examination were fixed Sep 13-15 or Sep 26-28.

AI flight leaves after nearly seven hours delay

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Kochi, August 29: A Bangalore-bound Air India flight via Chennai from here today left nearly after a seven-hour delay following a technical snag in the aircraft, airport sources said.

The IC-519 flight reported snag in its emergency light after boarding passes were issued to as many as 105 passengers and their luggages loaded on board the aircraft, they said.

The passengers were then deboarded and taken to security hold area inside the airport.

CWG controversies sadden Saurav Ghosal

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Kolkata, August 29: India’s top squash player Saurav Ghosal Sunday expressed sadness about the controversies surrounding the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and said the people responsible for the irregularities should be made accountable.

Ghosal, however, said it was not possible to usher in changes with very few days left before the Games begin.

The national champion said the squash team should have taken part in a couple of warm-up tournaments in New Delhi before the games. “Because of all these controversies and so on it could not happen which is very much unfortunate”.

Terrorism has no colour: Digvijay

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Mumbai, August 29: Maintaining that terrorism had “no colour” and that the Congress party was very clear on the issue, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh today accused RSS activists of being involved in “some” bomb blasts in the country.

“Congress has always maintained that terrorism has no colour,” Singh said when asked by mediapersons about ‘saffron terrorism’, on the sidelines of a function held here.

He, however, criticised Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for its activists’ alleged involvement in some of the bomb blast cases.

Enemy spies active in universities: Iran

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Tehran, August 29: Spy agencies of several “enemy” countries are striving hard to infiltrate and influence Iran’s academic centres, Minister of Science, Research, and Technology Kamran Daneshjoo said Sunday.

“Enemies are trying to change the Islamic atmosphere of the universities into their own favourite atmosphere of liberal-democracy and to give a new definition for Islamic values based on their own views,” Daneshjoo said.

Categories Uncategorised

England defeat Pak, clinch Test series

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England, August 29: Amidst match-fixing row, Pakistan faced humiliating defeat in the fourth Test against England here at Lord’s.

England clinched the series 3-1 by thumping victory over Pakistan. England defeated Pakistan by an innings and 225 runs to win the last Test.

Pakistan were bowled out for 147 runs in the second innings. For England, Graeme Swann claimed five-wicket haul after spending just 62 runs.

Earlier, England scored 446 runs in the first innings and bundled out Pakistan for just 74 runs forcing them to play follow-on.

Categories Uncategorised

Toyota to double production in India

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New Delhi, August 29: Toyota, the world’s largest car maker, is set to double its production capacity in India as its new plant in Bangalore, with an investment of nearly $680 million, will be operational by the end of this year.

“The new plant will have an annual production capacity of 70,000 units. It will double our production capacity in India,” Mitsuhiro Sonoda, Toyota Motor President for Asia-Pacific, told reporter.

PM watches ‘Peepli Live’

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New Delhi, August 29: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday evening watched Bollywood star Aamir Khan’s production “Peepli Live” at his 7 Race Course Road residence, an official said.

“Dr. Singh watched the film with interest,” the official in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) told IANS after the special screening of the film.

“Peepli Live” is a political satire based on farmers’ suicides and the superfluous approach by media on issue.

Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur, his family members and some close friends also watched the film at the special screening.

Bogus toll collection scam worth Rs 97-lakh unearthed

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Osmanabad, August 29: Bogus receipts of toll tax worth Rs 97.81 lakh were seized and 25 persons arrested following a raid at a collection booth on Mumbai-Hyderabad highway, police said today.

A special squad jointly constituted by Osmanabad district collector Praveen Gedam and SP Sanjay Darade raided the Yenagur Toll collection center at Omerga tehsil here yesterday and unearthed the scam, they said, adding the tender to recover toll from vehicles on the highway was with Dhulia-based K G Agro Processor Private Limited.

Sachin inaugurates first cath lab in Mumbai

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Mumbai, August 29: Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar today inaugurated the city’s first catheterisation laboratory (cath lab) and an operating centre at Holy family hospital in suburban Bandra here.

Saluting the doctors at the occasion, Sachin said, “being a husband of a doctor, I know how much hard work and sacrifice doctors have to make.”

“From a cricketer’s point of view we merely entertain people but you actually make them breath,” he said. Sachin was happy to inaugurate the facility on his mother’s birthday.

Trinamool delegation to meet PM on CPI(M) terror

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Kolkata, August 29: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today said that a delegation comprising party MPs would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue of terror allegedly unleashed by CPI(M) cadres in West Bengal.

“Either tomorrow or day after, my party MPs will meet the Prime Minister to apprise him of the prevailing situation in West Bengal arising out of CPI(M) terror,” Banerjee, who is also the Railway Minister, said here.

Heavy rains lash coastal Andhra

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Hyderabad, August 29: Heavy rains lashed coastal Andhra with southwest monsoon active over the region.

Rain occurred at many places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and at a few places over Telangana. Isolated rain occurred over Rayalaseema, according to local weather office here.

Tiruvuru in Krishna district received the highest 8 cm of rain followed by Nellore and Chintalapudi in West Godavari at 7 cm each.

MeT forecast heavy to isolated heavy rain in coastal Andhra Pradesh tomorrow.

The water level in nine reservoirs of the state reached their peak following heavy rains.

Saina gets Khel Ratna

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Hyderabad, August 29: Badminton ace Saina Nehwal, whose phenomenal rise was highlighted by three top-flight international titles recently, was today conferred the coveted Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award at a glittering ceremony here today.

Saina’s achievements in the past one year made her an automatic choice for the prestigious award, the highest sporting honour in the country.

One Naxal killed, one injured in police encounter

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Raipur, August 29: A Naxal was today killed and another injured in an encounter with police in Chhattisgarh’s Bijaur district, police said.

Acting on a tip-off that Naxals were camping in the area and planning to carry out an attack, a police team was sent to Mankeli village in the district, Police spokesperson Rajesh Mishra told PTI.

When the police team reached the jungles in the village some Naxals opened fire at them and in retaliatory firing a Naxal was killed while another was injured, he said, adding explosives were found at the spot.

Categories Uncategorised

Pranab pledges full financial support for artificial turf

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Kolkata, August 29: Union Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today promised full monetary assistance to Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) for building artificial turfs near the Salt Lake Stadium.

Addressing a BHA function to celebrate the National Sports Day at Town Hall, the Union minster said, “I am aware that lack of artificial turfs is a matter of concern for Bengal.

Gold to touch Rs 20,000 per 10 grams by Diwali

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Mumbai, August 29: Gold prices are all set to touch Rs 19,500-20,000 per 10 grams by Diwali due to rising investor interest, a top industry official said.

“We expect gold prices to cross Rs 19,500-Rs 20,000 per 10 grams by Diwali this year after some correction in prices,” Bombay Bullion Associations (BBA) President Suresh Hundia told PTI here.

Standard gold (99.5 purity) closed at Rs 18,910 and pure gold (99.9 purity) at Rs 19,000 per 10 grams in the Mumbai bullion market last week.